Sarah Silverman

Funny, fearless and hard-core were adjectives used throughout her career to describe Sarah Silverman. The actress and bawdy comedienne, in fact, built a career tackling controversial subjects head-on....
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Lena Dunham Under Fire from Jews for New Yorker Article

By:
WENN.com
Mar 27, 2015

Writer and actress Lena Dunham has become a target of some high-profile New York Jews following the publication of a questionable article about cultural stereotypes in The New Yorker.
In the piece, titled Dog Or Jewish Boyfriend? A Quiz, the Girls creator, whose mother is Jewish, asks readers to decide whether the statements she makes in the article apply to her Jewish boyfriend, Jack Antonoff, or their pet dog. She then lists things like, "He doesn't tip", and "I feel that he is judgmental about the food I serve him", adding, "This is because he comes from a culture in which mothers focus every ounce of their attention on their offspring and don't acknowledge their own need for independence as women. They are sucked dry by their children, who ultimately leave them as soon as they find suitable mates."
The piece has upset many prominent Jews, including Jordana Horn, who has responded to Dunham's article on website Kveller, stating, "I suppose Lena Dunham feels that she has some sort of humor EZ Pass, and The New Yorker has indulged her in that thinking... because apparently Jews are a group you can make fun of and it is deemed kinda intellectual and funny to do so."
She adds, "If you take issue with what I'm saying, then do me a favour and imagine this same essay entitled, 'Dog or Black Boyfriend? A Quiz.' Much easier to imagine that essay running in a Ku Klux Klan newsletter than The New Yorker, am I right? But somehow, a piece like this running in The New Yorker in 2015 is supposed to be OK with us."
Meanwhile, one Twitter user, writes, "@NewYorker Wow. Do you post every piece of anti-Semitic drivel that gets submitted, or only if its written by @lenadunham?"
The piece has also been attacked by Anti-Defamation League officials - National Chairman Abraham H. Foxman was not happy with the stereotypes in Dunham's piece and stated the dog comparison evoked memories of "the 'No Jews or Dogs Allowed' signs from our own early history in this country."
The New Yorker's editor David Remnick has defended his guest writer, stating, "The Jewish-comic tradition is rich with the mockery of, and playing with, stereotypes. Has Mr. Foxman never heard Lenny Bruce or Larry David or Sarah Silverman...? Lena Dunham is a comic voice working in that vein."

Charlize Theron, Meryl Streep, Beyonce and Lady Gaga are among the stars who have signed an open letter to female politicians in Germany and South Africa to demand equal rights for women around the world.
Some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry have come together to send a message to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and South Africa's Minister of Health Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as part of events marking International Women's Day on Sunday (08Mar15). The letter urges both women to use their influence at upcoming political conferences to push for gender equality issues.
It reads, "Thank you for your leadership and the example you offer all girls and women. In June this year you will both chair key summits at which you have placed women's empowerment on the agenda - one in Germany, one in South Africa... If your summits reach the right agreements, great financing and momentum around girls and women's empowerment can be placed at the heart of the new global goals... Put simply, poverty is sexist, and we won't end it unless we face up to the fact that girls and women get a raw deal, and until leaders and citizens around the world work together for real change... If we get this right, we could help lift every girl and woman out of poverty by 2030 - and by doing so we will lift everyone."
The note, which was also signed by Rita Wilson, Rosamund Pike and Sarah Silverman, was published in conjunction with U2 star Bono's One Foundation, which raises money to highlight humanitarian problems across the world.

Comedienne Sarah Silverman turned down the chance to star in hit U.S. TV drama Mad Men. The funnywoman first met the show's star Jon Hamm when he had a guest role on her show The Sarah Silverman Program in 2007, the same year Mad Men premiered.
Silverman became friends with Hamm and prior to shooting the pilot of the drama, he suggested she take on the role of one of his possible love interests.
She reveals, "He got this pilot, and I remembered he called me, and he said, 'I think there's a part in it that would be good for you. You should come audition for it. It's like a Jewish department store owner.' And I was like, 'Jon, I have a show. I'm the star of it.' So I blew that."
Actress Maggie Siff eventually took on the role of Rachel Menken for two seasons in the multiple Emmy Award-winning series.
The seventh and final series of Mad Men ends in May (15).

Welsh actor Michael Sheen has won praise from politicians and campaigners for his rousing speech in defence of Britain's National Health Service (NHS) over the weekend (28Feb15-01Mar15). The Frost/Nixon star hit headlines on Sunday (01Mar15) when he joined a rally in Tredegar, Wales and made an impassioned plea to politicians in the U.K. to do more to protect the institution, which provides free healthcare for all citizens.
Sheen told the crowd, "No one says they want to get rid of the NHS, everyone praises it... But for decades now there has been a systematic undermining of its core values. This is beyond party politics... You must stand up for what you believe, but first of all, by God, believe in something."
British Member of Parliament (MP) Diane Abbott is among those who have since praised Sheen for tackling such a sensitive issue, writing in a post on Twitter.com, "Brilliant speech by @michaelsheen in defence of our #NHS," while Welsh politician Phil Bale of Cardiff City Council adds, "Storming speech from @michaelsheen at the People's March for the NHS in Tredegar!"
Campaigner Paul Evans, of the NHS Support Federation, tells the Press Association, "Michael Sheen helps to highlight one essential truth that the NHS won't survive if we continue to put the market at its heart... It's good to see somebody express an honest view on the NHS."
Sheen's girlfriend, U.S. comic Sarah Silverman, also lavished praise on the actor, writing on Twitter, "Politicians take note... Beyond brilliant."
The actor writes on his own page, "The messages I've had... prove the last thing that's a problem with people of this country is apathy. Passion and compassion everywhere... It's been stunning to experience such strength of feeling and heartbreaking to hear how much people feel let down by what is being offered."

Comedian Aziz Ansari has poured out his heart about the loss of his close friend Harris Wittels in an emotional blog post, insisting the Parks And Recreation writer/producer's death has left him "devastated". Wittels was found dead from a suspected drug overdose at his Los Angeles home on Thursday (19Feb15), and tributes have flooded in from friends and colleagues, including Sarah Silverman and Amy Poehler.
Poehler's Parks and Recreation co-star Ansari opened up about the tragedy in a lengthy entry on his Tumblr.com blog on Friday (20Feb15), writing, "There are so few people that you meet in life that give you that feeling that you've found a real unique, original person. Harris Wittels was one of those and we lost him yesterday. He was 30 years old. I've been devastated.
"I'm still waiting for the other phone call to let me know that Harris is okay and this was all a horrible misunderstanding. I don't know when my brain is going to be able to process the terrible feeling that fills my heart with dread and my eyes with tears every 20 seconds when I realize this very special person is really gone."
Ansari reveals the pair had previously worked on two movie scripts together, but failed to get the projects pick up by studio executives, and reveals they had been poised to move to New York City together in March (15) after Harris secured an apartment for the pals last Monday (16Feb15), just three days before his death.
Honouring him as an "unbelievably hilarious", "lovable" and "truly sweet guy", Ansari closes the post by writing, "Bye Harris. I miss you and I'm glad I got to enjoy your genuinely amazing and original presence. I wish I got to you know even more. I hope people reading this realize what a incredibly unique man you were, and what brutal a loss it is for those who knew you and also for those who never had the pleasure.
"This has been so hard to write because I just keep wanting to add more and more stories and more jokes and more everything, but I'd never be able to finish it. You are far too special to sum up in any kind of piece like this. You were one of the best and we all will miss you."

Parks And Recreation executive producer Harris Wittels died on Thursday (19Feb15) after a suspected drug overdose. The comedian's body was found by his assistant at his Los Angeles home. The official cause of death is not yet known, but the Los Angeles Police Department confirms to Entertainment Weekly it appears to have been an overdose.
Wittels, 30, was also a writer and guest star on the hit comedy, which is set for its series finale in the U.S. on Tuesday (24Feb15).
The night before he died (18Feb15), Wittels performed a stand-up act at The Meltdown comedy theatre in Hollywood, where he talked about being clean and sober, following his battles with drug addition and two-time stint in rehab.
In addition to his work on Parks and Recreation, he also produced and wrote for The Sarah Silverman Program and Danny McBride comedy Eastbound and Down.
Comedienne Silverman led the tributes to Wittels on Twitter.com, writing, "He was my baby. I just keep thinking of superman flying backwards around the earth. I wish I could do that. I'm so mad at you Harris. You should know that Harris was brilliant beyond compare. That his imagination was without limit. That he loved comedy more than anything.
"That his heart was big and he FELT hard. That he was someone who would reach out to tell you he was thinking of you for no particular reason. That he was honest even if it was gonna p**s u off or make him look s**tty. He told the truth. Even when it was ugly. Even when he lied."
Parks co-star Billy Eichner also paid homage to Wittels and wrote, "Don't know what to say. Harris Wittels was a fantastic writer I had the pleasure to work with at Parks and Rec. So so sad. RIP Harris."
Comedian Joe Mande, who also served as a writer at Parks and Recreation and met Wittels while attending Emerson College in Boston together, noted that the outpouring of condolences wouldn't exactly have pleased his close friend.
He wrote, "I met Harris in 2002 & sought his approval ever since. He was the most effortlessly funny person I've ever known. He'd hate all these tweets."

Comedian Kevin Hart is retiring from the annual NBA All-Star Celebrity Game after taking home his fourth prize for Most Valuable Player (MVP) on Friday night (13Feb15). The Ride Along star led the East team as they faced off against the West at New York's iconic Madison Square Garden as part of the NBA All-Star Weekend basketball festivities.
Hart scored 15 points, but it wasn't enough as the West, featuring the likes of rapper/actor Common, Arcade Fire rocker Win Butler and actor Ansel Elgort, beat their rivals 59-51.
Other participants included Nick Cannon, actor Chadwick Boseman, comedienne Sarah Silverman and Grey's Anatomy star Jesse Williams, who bowed out of the exhibition game early with a leg injury. Director Spike Lee served as a coach.
Despite the East's loss, Hart was named the game's MVP for the fourth consecutive year, prompting him to announce his retirement from the tournament.
After claiming the fan-voted prize, he told the crowd, "It's my fourth MVP. I can't do no more (sic)."

Saturday Night Live is celebrating it's 40th anniversary this year and it's had some very memorable cast members (Eddie Murphy, Tina Fey, Adam Sandler to name a few) at studio 8H, and then there are some people who are very memorable actors, but we all sort of forgot their brief moments on the sketch comedy.
1. Robert Downey Jr. (85-86)
NBC/Yahoo
Robert Downey Jr. as suitcase boy, giving a "confrontational monologue"...it's not all that surprising he lasted only 1 season. But he's clearly moved on to bigger and better things.
2. Anthony Michael Hall (85-86)
NBC/Yahoo
To this day, Anthony Michael Hall still holds the title for youngest cast member on SNL, having joined when he was only 17-years-old in order to break his "geek" film typecast. He later admit he'd underestimated how competitive the show was.
3. Gilbert Gottfried (80-81)
NBC/YouTube
We thought it was impossible to forget that voice, but it was on SNL for a year.
4. Damon Wayans (85-86)
NBC/Yahoo
Wayans is best known for his time on In loving Color, it's easy to forget the year he spent at SNL.
5. Jenny Slate (09-10)
NBC/YouTube
You may or may not remember her time on SNL, as it wasn't that long ago, but you may remember someone dropping the F-bomb on live TV for the first time on this show. That was her.
6. Ben Stiller (1989)
NBC/Yahoo
His time as a featured player was brief, but this Weekend Update review of Rain Man with SNL legend Mike Meyers was a shining moment.
7. Billy Crystal (84-85)
NBC/YouTube
If you've been following SNL since the early days, you might not have forgotten about Billy Crystal and the many characters he portrayed in his 1-season run, but maybe you forgot the time he got Mr. T and Hulk Hogan to crack up on live TV.
8. Julia Louis-Dreyfus (82-85)
NBC/Yahoo
Maybe you're obsessed with Veep or still haven't gotten over Seinfeld, either way with such an extensive career, it's easy to forget Julia's early days on SNL (though she was the youngest woman ever cast at at 21-years-old).
9. Sarah Silverman (93-94)
NBC/YouTube
While there aren't many (if any) videos of Sarah's stint (she did mainyl write) on SNL 22 years ago, she does say she's happy that doesn't define her career.
10. Joan Cusack (85-86)
NBC/Yahoo
Her short time on SNL wasn't a bump in the road, but actually the spark that ignited her 30+ year career.
11. Rob Riggle (04-05)
NBC/Yahoo
You may not always recognize Rob Riggle by name, but you'll easily remember him from 21 Jump Street and Step Brothers. During his short time on SNL, he did impressions of Larry the Cable Guy, Toby Keith, and Howard Dean.
12. David Koechner (95-96)
NBC/Hulu
Before his Anchorman days, he became buddies with Will Ferrell when they were both cast members on this show.
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Superstar Pharrell Williams is getting animated for an upcoming episode of The Simpsons. The Happy hitmaker and the famous Vivienne Westwood hat he wore to the Grammy Awards last year (14) are heading to the fictional town of Springfield for an episode titled Walking Big & Tall.
The plot of the cartoon instalment is based on a true story from the 1980s, about bosses at a Milwaukee, Wisconsin TV station who hired a composer to create a new anthem for the city, only to discover the musician offered up the same song to other city officials.
In The Simpsons story, Lisa Simpson will help to find a solution to the problem by bringing in Pharrell to pen a new track for the town, reports Entertainment Weekly.
The episode will air in the U.S. on 8 February (15).
Pharrell isn't the only special guest to make a cameo in the longrunning cartoon's 26th season - rocker Sammy Hagar and actors Nick Offerman and Sarah Silverman have also booked gigs on The Simpsons.

Tragic comedienne Joan Rivers will be honoured by her daughter Melissa during a tribute at The Hollywood Reporter's 2014 Women in Entertainment Breakfast on 10 December. Comedienne Sarah Silverman will introduce the tribute, which will also feature a video message from Chris Rock. Melissa's appearance at the event will mark the first time she has spoken at length publicly since her mother died following a routine procedure at Yorkville Endoscopy in New York in September (14).

Had a recurring role as writer Wendy Traston on "The Larry Sanders Show" (HBO)

Cast as the annoying girlfriend of Jack Black's roommate in "The School of Rock"

Appeared in "The Bachelor," starring Chris O'Donnell and Renee Zelwegger

Hosted the MTV Movie Awards (June)

Appeared in Warren Beatty's political satire "Bullworth"

Earned a Grammy nomination for the spoken word album, The Bedwetter

Cast as Alison Kaiser on the short-lived Fox Comedy, "Greg the Bunny"

Regular cast member and writer on "Saturday Night Live" (NBC)

Featured performer in the HBO sketch comedy show "Mr. Show with Bob and David"

Voiced Hadassah Guberman in comedy central's "Crank Yankers"

Featured as herself on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (NBC); controversy erupted after using the racist slur 'chink' in a comedy routine on the July 11, 2001 episode

Acted in a couple of episodes of "Seinfeld," (NBC) as Kramer's girlfriend

Toured the country in her one-woman show, "Jesus is Magic"

Appeared in the film version of her one woman show, "Jesus is Magic"

Had a supporting role as a friend of Mary's in Peter Farrelly and Bobby Farrelly's comedy smash "There's Something About Mary"

Summary

Funny, fearless and hard-core were adjectives used throughout her career to describe Sarah Silverman. The actress and bawdy comedienne, in fact, built a career tackling controversial subjects head-on. While most comics only scratched the surface of the joke, Silverman dove into the murky depths of race, religion and sex and with her blasé, seemingly prejudiced outbursts, effectively deflating taboos. However, taking on these issues was not without its controversies. Silverman was fired from her regular gig on "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 1975- ), and in 2001, while appearing on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (NBC, 1993-2009), she uttered a racial slur against Asian-Americans and was immediately castigated for it. Through it all, however, Silverman rarely checked her sharp tongue or curbed her cutting-edge comedy, making even the most lewd male comics blush on occasion - including on-and-off boyfriend, comedian-host, Jimmy Kimmel, to whom she dedicated the Internet video sensation, "I'm F*cking Matt Damon."

Name

Role

Comments

Susan Abramowitz-Silverman

Sister

Co-author of Jewish Family & Life: Traditions, Holidays, and Values for Today's Parents and Children

Began dating 2003; Couple's over-the-top videos about fictional flings with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck became huge Internet hits when they began airing on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" February 2008; Announced split July 2008; Briefly reunited a few months later; Split again March 2009

Education

"Oh, this sounds so obnoxious," Silverman said. "I'm not planning anything out. I'm just trying to be funny. I don't think any of it's particularly deep. It's just what interests me." - Silverman to MSN.com, Sept. 13, 2005

"It makes her fearlessness even more shocking," he says. "In my opinion, too much focus is put on her appearance. I think she'll be just as funny, if not funnier, when she's a wrinkled old lady." - Jimmy Kimmel on Silverman’s recent sex symbol image to Entertainment Weekly, Nov. 11, 2005

Silverman is very open about her lifelong battle with clinical depression, crediting her current freedom from attacks of despair to her use of prescription Zoloft.

Jewish-American of Russian and Polish descent

On Jan. 31, 2008, Silverman appeared as a guest on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in order to show Jimmy Kimmel, her boyfriend, a special video. The video turned out to be a song called "I'm F*cking Matt Damon," in which she and Damon sang a duet about having an affair behind Kimmel's back.

Kimmel exacted his video "revenge" on Feb. 24, 2008 by airing a video directed at Silverman which enlisted a panoply of stars to record Kimmel's song "I'm F*cking Ben Affleck."